by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 23, 2023

Harvard Students Deal A Winning Hand With Spades Clinic, Uniting The Ivy League In Card Game Fun

The informative packet details everything from taking score to trash-talking.

Two Harvard University students are in the spirit of giving back by introducing a classic card game to their classmates. Hosting a spades clinic, the scholars broke down the holiday favorite so that the Ivy League can join the fun.

The presentation was led by Alliyah Gary and Chelsea Grain Jefferson, two Black women studying at Harvard Business School, as they hosted the interactive session to give their cohort lessons on how to win the competitive game. With printouts teaching students the basics, including how to take score and bidding, to more cultural elements associated with the game, including some words for trash talk, the game broke color boundaries as students of all backgrounds took part in the practice.

The card-dealing duo showcased the event in a shared post to Instagram.

“This holiday season, we hosted a spade clinic in the spirit of giving back,” shared the women in academia. The special packet, labeled “Spades Clinic: Culture 101,” detailed all the rules and regulations of the game, as made public by Medium.

In the article, the authors explained their journey to creating the printouts, stating that they wanted to encourage others in their community to play. However, they understood that a lack of knowledge on how to engage resulted in hesitation. Thus, the spades clinic was formed.

“Inconveniently, it was actually hard to find materials to use to teach the clinic, so in typical Harvard fashion, we made our own,” stated Gary and Grain Jefferson. “We also passed out an article about its history/significance and put some key rules up on a slide so people could reference them as they played.”

In the information packet’s glossary, spades vocabulary such as “cut,” meaning when one places a spade down to win over another suit, as well as “renege,” when one places another card down despite having a card that matches the suit at play, were listed. Including all the nuances of gameplay, including when and when not to speak to one’s partner, the printout is a comprehensive list of all one needs to get started.

According to The New York Times, spades has been traced back to Cincinnati in the late 1930s, and has become a staple in Black households during family and friend gatherings. Depicted in beloved Black films such as The Best Man series, to more recent movies like The Blackening, the card game is a pillar of African-American culture that has been passed down for generations. With these detailed directions now available to teach any player the tricks, spades is getting a new level of legitimacy, right in time for the holidays.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 23, 2023

Finding an Easy Meet and Fuck in the UK

As more people turn to apps for no-strings-attached sex, finding a genuine meet and fuck in the UK can be a challenge. Between scam profiles and flaky matches, many platforms overpromise on steamy hookups but underdeliver on actual results.

Unlike mainstream dating apps, quality hookup apps cater to singles motivated primarily by sexual chemistry versus romantic connections. This means their success hinges less on fancy algorithms, and more on cultivating an engaged user base actively seeking erotic encounters with mutual satisfaction as the end goal.

Struggles of Traditional Hookup Platforms

Legacy hookup platforms rely on volume over validity — prioritizing impressions over real meetups. They fail to address the unique motivations, hesitations and requirements of singles exploring casual dating in 2023. Specifically:

For men this often means:

Wasting hours messaging unresponsive or fake female accounts
Getting little guidance on presenting an engaging dating profile

For women common pitfalls include:

Feeling overwhelmed by crude come-ons and unvetted matches
Lacking tools to screen motivated dates aligned with their preferences

For all these compounding frustrations equal:

Dwindling trust in the legitimacy of platforms promising steamy connections
Difficulty transitioning digital chatter into real-life hookup coordination

Mainstream design severely limits users’ abilities to manifest their ideal casual encounter from behind the screen.

How XXXApp Solves These Struggles

Easy Meet and Fuck holds status as UK’s leading meet and fuck app by catering to the practical obstacles that leave most feeling disenchanted by hookup platforms.

Rigorous Verification Methods

All users must pass photo verification checks to confirm they match pictures on their profile before accessing the full platform. This essential vetting step prevents scam bots and fake accounts in their tracks — saving everyone the headache down the line.

Shared Motivations Between Members

With everyone united by clearly communicated expectations for no-strings-attached sex, singles align on motivations from the start. Mutually understood priorities remove assumptions and awkwardness around simply looking to get laid.

Targeted Fuck Buddy Matching

Preference questionnaires and profile building prompts allow singles to articulate turn-ons, availability, ideal body types, sexual interests and more upfront. Easy Meet and Fuck’s matching then keeps suggestions limited strictly to suitable hookup candidates.

Built-In Date Coordination

Once a match sparks genuine chemistry, in-app messaging and scheduling tools let both parties seamlessly rendezvous IRL for spontaneous thrills with minimal hassle.

Post-Date Reviews

After meetups, individuals leave feedback and star ratings on their hookup’s profile. This digital word-of-mouth underscores promising fuck buddies within the community for all members’ ongoing benefit.

Aligning singles under a highly targeted purpose backed by tailored meetup technology, Easy Meet and Fuck App offers British singles the fastest and most guaranteed path to no strings attached sex available today.

Consistent Support for Sealing Satisfying Hookups

Unlike traditional dating platforms relying solely on algorithms — Easy Meet and Fuck App recognizes human guidance significantly influences follow-through. As such, their team offers round-the-clock support addressing individual frustrations through:

Profile Audits: 1-on-1 consultations refine the framing, imaging and text of dating profiles to amplify appeal and engagement

Preference Adjustments: Experts customize site parameters around turn ons, availability schedules, neighborhoods and more to open prospects

Outreach Critiques: Specialists review flirty banter samples to improve friendly vetting and sexual tension capable of manifesting meetups

Date Coaching: Lastly, should in-person coordination stall, liaisons step in facilitating logistics via direct messaging and scheduling tools

This human touch proves game-changing for transitioning digital chemistry into tangible no strings attached encounters.

Ultimately, Easy Meet and Fuck App’s understanding of modern motivations, hesitations and frameworks around seeking steamy yet satisfying experiences enables hookups at scale unmatched by any platform.

Their solutions translate digital flirtations into real world fulfillment beyond promises — with millions of positive reviews affirming their industry standing.

by Daron Pressley

November 23, 2023

UNWRP And Grand Marnier Collaborate For Tribute To 50 Years Of Hip Hop, With (W)rapping Paper And Creative Cocktails

This is an exciting fusion of art, music, and mixology.

During this holiday season, the tradition of gift-giving embraces a whole new rhythm as UNWRP, a Black-owned gifting company, comes together with Grand Marnier. This collaboration is a celebration that resonates with the 50-year legacy of hip-hop. It marks a groundbreaking union, spearheaded by the creative fusion of artist Teezo Touchdown’s distinctive style and Grand Marnier’s tribute to the rhythmic spirit of hip-hop.

BLACK ENTERPRISE discovered the inspiration behind UNWRP.

Grand Marnier with UNWRP has designed a limited-edition line of (w)rapping paper, paying tribute to hip-hop’s half-century mark. Drawing inspiration from Touchdown’s artistic versatility, this paper becomes a canvas, chronicling the evolution of hip-hop through musical elements.

“UNWRP’s collaboration with Grand Marnier draws inspiration by the unique opportunity to celebrate 50 years of hip hop, the holiday season, and of course, Grand Marnier cocktails,” founder Ashley L. Fouyolle told BE.

The limited edition (w)rapping paper design draws inspiration from Teezo Touchdown’s style and the evolution of hip-hop over the decades.

“It features music-listening devices and players that chronicle how music lovers have listened to hip-hop throughout its history and aims to capture the essence of hip-hop’s journey and the joy of gift giviing during the holiday season. The concept of the ‘Grand Encounter’ is reflected in the collaboration, echoing Grand Marnier’s history of blending unexpected elements, such as fine cognac and bitter orange liqueur, to create something extraordinary,” says Fouyolle.

Beyond visuals, Teezo curates the Grand Margarita holiday cocktail kit for Grand Marnier.

Andrea Sengara, vice president of marketing for Campari U.S., noted in a press release, “Grand Marnier honors blending unexpected elements to create something extraordinary. Grand Marnier is once again honoring our storied history of blending unexpected elements to create something extraordinary.”

The Grand Margarita holiday cocktail kit is not merely a drink; it’s an experience that embodies the fusion of tastes and culture.

“Just like the unexpected encounter of orange liqueur and cognac coming together to create something grand, this collaboration with UNWRP and Teezo Touchdown to create an item that blends hip-hop, the holidays, and cocktails demonstrates the fun you can have when you bring together the unexpected,” shared Sengara. “Grand Marnier’s Grand Encounter speaks to me on many levels. As a former bartender, this collaboration is extra special to me.”

Committed to commemorating the history of hip-hop, Grand Marnier is donating to The Hip Hop Museum, set to open its doors within a housing community in the Bronx in 2025. Funds from Grand Marnier will support the museum’s research and curation of exhibits and collections.

The limited-edition UNWRP (W)rapping Paper + Cocktail Kit is available here.

5 Feel-Good Films To Watch This Thanksgiving

by Kali Wilder

November 23, 2023

5 Feel-Good Films To Watch This Thanksgiving

Nothing tops watching a classic movie as a family. Here are a few feel-good films to revisit with loved ones this Thanksgiving weekend.

Originally published No 21, 2018

I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a little bit of an escape. While the root of Thanksgiving leaves much to be desired, most of us take this time to express our extreme gratitude for the past year, revel in time spent with family, and devour traditional soul food delights. Yes, delights.

However, one of my favorite things to do this time of year is revisit some favorite family films. I love a feel-good film around the holidays. Call it cheesy, but nothing is better than a great scene with folks sitting around a dinner table, confronting and dealing with life’s ups and downs as a family with both tears and laughter.

So, here’s to paying it forward–a few films that can get you in the mood of gratitude for family, friends, and connection.

The Wiz

A real classic! Aside from outstanding performances and amazing costumes, The Wiz continues to hold a special place in our hearts. I mean, the film is all about Dorothy realizing how special home is as she spends the length of the movie trying to get back there.

Soul Food

Mama Joe always said, “One finger won’t make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow. Now, this family has got to be that fist.” She was right.

The Color Purple

No matter where you are in the country, you can find another person who will quote nearly half of The Color Purple along with you. From the dinner table scene to Celie reuniting with Nettie?! The tears, oh the tears.

The Best Man

Sometimes, you can create your own family, which is a blessing we don’t take lightly. Even though there are stumbles in the road, The Best Man shows that friends can be just as important as family.

The Nutty Professor

The Klump dinner table is one that we will never forget because of the food spreads but also the laughs.

RELATED CONTENT: Telfar Launches New Free Holiday Gift Bag Deal

Bryce James Transfers Back To Sierra Canyon

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 22, 2023

Bryce James Transfers Back To Sierra Canyon

The junior left to go play for Notre Dame but has gone back to Sierra

LeBron James’ son, Bryce, left Sierra Canyon last school year and transferred to Notre Dame, only to transfer back to Sierra Canyon this season.

According to Sports Illustrated, the second son of LeBron will be playing for the same high school his older brother, Bronny, graduated from this past summer. Bryce played at Sierra for his first two years in high school and then decided to play at Notre Dame this season but was declared ineligible due to transfer rules. He would not have been able to play for at least half the season, according to rules made by the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section.

With the rules in place, since Bryce did not play in any games at Notre Dame, he is still good to compete with his old school. The season just began, so Bryce hasn’t missed much in terms of games played. If he had gone to Notre Dame due to a residence change, the eligibility would not have been a factor, and he could have played.

During his first two years, Bryce played on both the junior varsity and varsity teams. The junior played summer basketball with Campbell Hall, Studio City, CA, and competed with the Vikings at Section 7 in Arizona, and from there, he went to Notre Dame.

Meanwhile, Bronny participated in pregame warmups on Nov. 19 before USC beat Brown University by a score of 81-71, according to CBS Sports. Although he did not play and is not expected to play in the next basketball game, he is closer to competing for the team after he suffered a cardiac arrest this past July during a team practice.

While the team awaits his return, they have been playing well with a 3-1 record.

Victor Wembanyama, NBA, Rookie of the Year

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 22, 2023

San Antonio Rookie Victor Wembanyama’s NBA Debut Jersey Sells For Record $762K In Auction

The item was expected to fetch between $80,000 and $120,000

The basketball jersey that San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama wore in his NBA debut sold for a staggering $762,000 on Nov. 21.

According to ESPN, the item set a record for the highest-selling game-worn jersey by a rookie. The jersey, which was auctioned by Sotheby’s was expected to fetch between $80,000 and $120,000 but came in more than six times the highest estimate when it was bought for the $762,000 price.

Sotheby’s auctioned off Victor Wembanyama’s game-worn jersey from his NBA debut.

It was expected to sell for between $80k – $120k.

Bidding just closed and it sold for a record-breaking $762,000.

That’s the highest amount ever paid for rookie jersey pic.twitter.com/CnAYC7Xtl2

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) November 21, 2023

The auction house listed the jersey on its website when it announced the auction.

“This ‘Rookie Debut Game’ jersey was worn in the first game of Victor Wembanyama’s NBA career. It was also the first home game of his career, and additionally he registered his first Slam Dunk in this jersey. Worn on Oct. 25, 2023, when the San Antonio Spurs played the Dallas Mavericks, ‘Wemby’ finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. The Spur lost to the Mavericks, 126-119. This jersey was worn during the 2nd half of the game,” the description read.

ESPN reported that Sotheby’s stated that this particular auction had 176 people bidding across 14 countries with an average of 24 bids per lot. The San Antonio rookie’s debut jersey lot produced 62 bids alone. The auction house said it was one of the “highest levels of participation for a sports memorabilia auction at Sotheby’s.”

In the same auction, the rookie debut jersey of the player picked right after Wembanyama, the No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson, was sold for $19,050. The No. 3 pick, Brandon Miller had his debut jersey bought at a higher price at $27,940.

A month into his rookie season in 2020, the jersey worn by New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson in his NBA debut sold for $80,040.

Judge Rejects Jail Time For Trump Co-Defendant Harrison Floyd In Georgia Election Interference Case

by Daniel Johnson

November 22, 2023

Judge Rejects Jail Time For Trump Co-Defendant Harrison Floyd In Georgia Election Interference Case

Floyd, prosecutors allege, engaged in a 'pattern of intimidation' towards co-defendants and witnesses.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made her first appearance in the Georgia election interference case which her office is prosecuting, presenting an argument to revoke bond for Harrison Floyd. Floyd is a leader of the political group Black Voices for Trump. He was one of the 19 defendants indicted in 2023 in Fulton County, GA.

Floyd, prosecutors allege, engaged in a “pattern of intimidation” towards co-defendants and witnesses.

According to ABC News, Willis told Judge Scott McAfee, “The state is requesting — so that there’s no mistake as to what we’re asking for — that his bond be revoked and he be remanded back into custody.”

Judge Scott McAfee rules that “there has been a technical violation of Mr. Floyd’s bond…but not every violation compels revocation.” The judge says Harrison Floyd’s bond order needs to be modified to be more specific and asks the DA and defense to submit ideas. pic.twitter.com/872VboevZ6
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 21, 2023

His attorney defined Floyd’s comments as political speech, saying, “This is political speech, your honor. And they’re trying to silence it.”

Willis declared her office’s intent to call three witnesses during the course of the hearing, including Gabriel Sterling, an election official whom Floyd allegedly threatened.

Willis also told the judge, “What we are really here to decide today is does this order mean something or not. He does not get an ‘oh, I’m sorry,’ after I’ve already intimidated the witnesses in this case,” Willis said. “It is too late.”

According to CNN, McAfee ultimately decided that Floyd’s remarks did not deserve a bond revocation, remarking that though he made “technical violations” of his bond agreement, “not every violation compels revocation.”

Floyd would have been the first participant in the case to be jailed for his actions relating to the case, which, according to CNN, would have delivered a message to the rest of the defendants that the prosecution was monitoring them closely. Floyd previously was behind bars in the Fulton County Jail for a week back in August before ultimately reaching a bond agreement with prosecutors.

Willis was not pleased with the choice of the judge to allow Floyd to skirt the rules of his agreement, telling CNN, “He was given an opportunity to cooperate with the rules of this case and what he really did was spit on the court and refuse to oblige by three of the seven conditions of this bond order.”

Michael Hill, an assistant chief investigator in Fulton County, read aloud the posts from Floyd directed at the witnesses Willis will be calling. Sometimes, he had to translate internet speak to preserve the legal decorum. Hill read one post, saying, “The content is as follows: ‘Black American Dems want the ‘Black Trump Guy’ to tell on the ‘RACIST WHITE REPUBLICANS’ but only if it’s President Trump? Lol, look, the truth is that @GASecofState and @GabrielSterling are the pieces of’ – and it’s a …”

Willis interrupted Hill, instructing him to spell out the emoji, before he continued. “Yes, ma’am. It’s an emoji of poop or fecal matter emoji,” Hill said. “’They are the pieces of – that emoji – you should be mad at.’”

Sterling, whom Willis called to testify, said that he doesn’t feel threatened by the remarks of Floyd, saying, “It’s par for the course when you’re a public figure.”

However, another witness, Von DuBose, a representative of Ruby Freeman, another witness in the case, said that the remarks concerning DuBose’s client created concern.

DuBose said the posts concerning Freeman led to a rise in attacks against her online, which prompted her to relocate. DuBose also said the attacks constitute a beginning to potential threats to Freeman, saying they have caused the creation of additional security protocols to ensure her safety.

by Daniel Johnson

November 22, 2023

Experts Warn Democrats Need To Adjust Messaging To Black Men

'These brothers don’t see themselves represented or cared about in the political space,' said one expert.

Ahead of the upcoming 2024 Presidential election, political campaign experts are warning that the lack of focus on issues affecting Black men could leave them feeling left out, and thus they could remain on the sidelines while others vote. According to The Hill, experts like Mondale Robinson, the founder of the Black Male Project, are issuing a caution flag.

“There’s never been a point where Black men’s issues were put front and center for any political party in a real way,” Robinson stressed to The Hill. “These brothers don’t see themselves represented or cared about in the political space. They don’t hear people screaming about what’s important to them.”

There is data to back up Robinson’s claim that Black men feel abandoned by the political discourse. According to a report conducted by the NAACP in September 2022, 41% of Black men surveyed felt that President Joe Biden was not doing enough to address the specific needs of the Black community.

Furthermore, Black men and voters over 50 indicated that they had not felt the benefits of a Biden presidency. Abortion, which the Democrats have made a priority in recent years, is not as high for Black voters as others, such as inflation, gun violence, violent crime, or police brutality. This suggests that the messaging from the Democratic Party is in need of a tweak.

A poll from NBC News indicated that 20% of Black voters could vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming election, but Robinson said that those numbers never materialize in reality.

“The idea that 20 percent of Black men are going to support Trump — that was borne out of Trump saying that he’s gonna get 20 percent,” Robinson explained. “They said the same thing about [former President George W. Bush]. Twenty percent of Black men supporting Republicans never bears out.”

According to Darryn Harris, former chief of staff for Rep. Karen Bass and a current candidate for California State Senate, “What the Republicans do well is their messaging around the economy,” Harris said. “Republicans are talking about the economy and talking about upward mobility within their communities, and I think that message resonates very strongly with Black men.”

In addition, Robinson pointed out a fundamental issue with the way polling is sometimes conducted. Robinson said that, for example, if Black men are polled and one of the popular responses is a desire for more public safety, the political translation is that those voters want more policing. Robinson says that isn’t necessarily the case.

“But if you dive deep with this demographic of Black men, they’re going to look at you like you’re crazy if you say they need more police officers, because their definition of public safety is that they need to be policed like white people,” said Robinson. “In order to police Black men like white people, you need far less police officers, so the idea is actually closer to defunding the police.”

Harris said he sees that there are a few things that Democrats can do if they want to keep their base happy. Biden, he says, should have set up what he calls “grassroots captains” in communities so the campaign could keep in contact with voters. Harris also recommended “old-school” tactics like knocking on doors and phone banking mixed with new school text messaging campaigns.

Ultimately, Harris encapsulated the problem facing Democrats, telling The Hill, “It’s not that Democrats are losing Black men to the Republican Party.”

Harris pointed out Black men tend not to trust the Republicans, in part because they generally can’t speak to racial justice issues.

“Black men are just going to start sitting at home and just watch the polls. Democrats are not giving us what we want, [and] Republicans are racist. Both parties are not good for us.”

Ex-Employees Allege Lululemon In Chicago Fosters Anti-Black Environment

by Daniel Johnson

November 22, 2023

Ex-Employees Allege Lululemon In Chicago Fosters Anti-Black Environment

Lululemon has struggled to beat the allegations that it caters to a very specific clientele, namely white women with money.

Lululemon has been hit with complaints at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from six ex-employees at one of its Chicago store. According to Business Of Fashion, in addition to the six ex-employees, 14 additional current and former employees have described a culture at the company that they say is not welcoming to Black people.

In June 2020, like many other companies post-George Floyd, Lululemon made a pledge to create a more diverse workplace, issuing this statement, “The Black Lives Matter movement acted as a powerful catalyst within Lululemon. After many real and impactful conversations with their underrepresented employees and greater community, Lululemon’s Senior Leadership Team made the following commitments to stand up and fund Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action within the organization to support meaningful, lasting change in the world.”

However, according to the employees who spoke to Business Of Fashion, the central part of Lululemon’s platform, its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action department, was not allowed to have any significant impact.

Konesha Armstrong, who was the store operations lead at the Hyde Park location, said she felt as though it were a game of smoke and mirrors during her time at the company, saying, “[Lululemon] makes you feel like it’s going to be supportive and you’re not going to be a part of the history of micro-aggressive behavior and it just isn’t the case.”

Lululemon has struggled to beat the allegations that it caters to a very specific clientele, namely white women with money. Allison Torres Burtka wrote in a 2021 op-ed for Prism Reports that in 2004, the company’s founder, Chip Wilson, reportedly claimed that the name in part was chosen because he took pleasure in watching Japanese people try to say it. Wilson allegedly said, “The reason the Japanese liked [my former skateboard brand, ‘Homeless’] was because it had an L in it and a Japanese marketing firm wouldn’t come up with a brand name with an L in it…It’s a tough pronunciation for them.”

Wilson, of course, denied making the statement in a 2005 interview, but during the #StopAsianHate protests, when Instagram users called on the brand to change its name, a relatively benign act, the company responded by telling them, “We want you to know this is not who we are today nor the future we choose. Our founder has not been part of Lululemon for many years. We are focused on expressing our support for the Asian community.”

As the brand readied its arrival on Chicago’s South Side, the University of Chicago’s student newspaper, The Chicago Maroon, heralded its arrival as another sign of the area’s encroaching gentrification. According to Michael Collins, the store manager at the Hyde Park location, the leadership at Lululemon resisted his efforts to staff the Hyde Park location with Black talent. Collins told the Business Of Fashion that he was instructed to hire more white and Asian workers in order to better reflect the population of the University of Chicago. Collins, undeterred, pressed on with his initial plan. Collins, who also filed an EEOC complaint, told the outlet that it took him eight rounds of interviews to land his job, whereas it only took white people in his position two rounds.

Stacia Jones, a corporate lawyer who previously worked for Abercrombie & Fitch handling employee claims against the company, was hired to lead the IDEA team, but Jones also was the head of employee relations, which complicated things when it came time to investigate claims of racial discrimination from employees. Armstrong said that when she recounted an incident she where white customers remarked that she was “off-brand” within her earshot, Jones was not supportive.

According to Amber Cabral, a DEI strategist unaffiliated with Lululemon, the way the company structured the roles can lead to confusion about what should be clearly defined organizational roles. Typically, there is distance between a DEI lead and the person who is tasked with managing employee complaints. Based on the complaints from employees, Lululemon may have wanted Jones to be more of a guard dog, that is, to be more protective of their interests as opposed to protecting their employees, but that is not necessarily the job which Jones was actually hired to do. Cabral told Business Of Fashion, “DEI leaders need to be able to recognize that just because something is not illegal, that doesn’t mean it’s equitable,” Cabral said. “That matters because, if you’re in a DEI department, equity is at the centre.”

Armstrong told Business Of Fashion, “[They] told me it didn’t go over well with Stacia,” Armstrong said. “It felt like, if I wanted to move up in the company…that I would probably be blocked or retaliated against because it was problematic that I’m pointing out the problems in the company.”

Armstrong summarized her feelings about her time with the company, telling the outlet, “This company started out being prejudiced, they basically said ‘we only want tall, blonde, white women and you have to be a size six,’” Armstrong explained. “A lot of the things that they have in place and even the language that they use still support the foundation of what this company is.”

Federal Appeals Court Rules To Limit Voting Act Rights Challenges

by Daniel Johnson

November 22, 2023

Federal Appeals Court Rules To Limit Voting Act Rights Challenges

It is likely that this case will be heard by the Supreme Court.

On Nov. 20, a federal appeals court issued a groundbreaking ruling, altering decades of legal precedent by limiting the authority to bring lawsuits related to the Voting Rights Act exclusively to the U.S. Attorney General. The decision, reached by a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 split verdict, was motivated by the ambiguity in the legislation regarding the circumstances under which private individuals or organizations like the NAACP may pursue legal action, the Associated Press reported.

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that an individual or group (like the NAACP) are NOT allowed to sue states for violating the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. This ruling destroys almost 60 years of precedent in U.S. federal law. THERE IS BLOOD ON THAT BALLOT BOX.
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) November 21, 2023

The dispute revolved around Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which additionally mandates the inclusion of voting districts in electoral maps where candidates preferred by minority populations have a viable chance of winning. In North Carolina, on the same day that the St. Louis court made its ruling, two Black voters filed a lawsuit alleging that the state’s new electoral map reduces the voting power of a district’s Black constituents.

Rodney Pierce and Moses Matthews claim that the map deprives them of their right to elect their preferred candidates. Section 2 has long been evoked when Black voters in states with a history of voter suppression sue over violations of the Voting Rights Act. Individuals or groups generally allege that the voting maps in those states reduce their political self-determination. Legal experts say that mandating the challenge can only come from the federal level could have the effect of severely limiting these challenges.

According to the lawsuit, “The totality of the circumstances establishes that the enacted state Senate districting plan has the effect of denying Black voters an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice.”

North Carolina’s Republican-controlled senate agreed to adopt a plan that experts say puts their party in prime position to retain its supermajority. However, the Republican architects of the voting map say that they did not take the race of constituents into account when creating it.

North Carolina’s Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue accused the map of being an exercise in “cracking and packing,” saying that the map is “‘cracking on steroids.”

Cracking refers to the practice of diluting the voting power of the opposing party across districts, while packing is shorthand for concentrating voting power in a few districts to compensate for the lack of voting power on other districts. Blue also told the AP, “The plan enacted by the General Assembly in late October splits, cracks and packs Black voters to dilute their votes and blunt their ability to fully participate in the democratic process.”

The federal appeals court’s ruling was made by two Republican judges, one appointed by George W. Bush and the other appointed by Donald J. Trump. Judge David R. Stras, the Trump appointee, authored the majority decision.

Stras wrote, “When those details are missing, it is not our place to fill in the gaps, except when ‘text and structure’ require it.”

Another Bush appointee, Chief Judge Lavenski R. Smith, wrote in a dissenting opinion, “Rights so foundational to self-government and citizenship should not depend solely on the discretion or availability of the government’s agents for protection.”

Smith also said that unless Congress or the Supreme Court intervened, the court should follow the precedent that already exists.

It is likely that this case will be heard by the Supreme Court, as the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the case, noting that private parties can indeed file lawsuits to ensure the Voting Rights Act is being followed, but made no official statement on the case itself.

According to the AP, the ACLU was displeased with the ruling and is currently weighing options. The Congressional Black Caucus meanwhile, issued a statement calling on the Supreme Court to review the court’s ruling, saying, “This decision by the appellate court is ill-advised, cannot stand, and should be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which we hope will reaffirm that citizens have a private right of action to bring forward lawsuits under Section 2.”